Lecture: Seaweed, Driftwood and Tradition – Knowledge from the Coast

How have seaweed and driftwood been used throughout history, and what can we learn from it today?

In this lecture, you will meet researchers Shalen Prado and Dawn Elise Mooney from the University of Stavanger, representing two different research projects: SEARCH and MARGAIN. Together, they provide insight into how seaweed, driftwood, and other marine resources have been part of coastal cultures as both food and materials.

During the lecture, you will gain an understanding of how researchers today uncover traces of seaweed and driftwood use in the past, and how this can offer new perspectives on life along the coast in the Viking Age. At the same time, the focus shifts to our present day:

How can knowledge of past generations’ relationship with the sea inspire a more sustainable use of our resources in the present?

In connection with the event, you will also have the opportunity to meet Lofoten Seaweed, who will present products and offer tastings based on ocean resources.

The saturday after the lecture, we invite you to a practical follow-up event, where you can experience this knowledge in action through activities, demonstrations, and cooking.

There will be a Q&A session after the lecture.

Click here for tickets to the lecture.

Practical information:
Date: April 16th
Time: 19:00 – 20:45
Price: 50 NOK / free with annual pass
Location: Lofotr Viking Museum

The lecture will be held in English and is suitable for anyone interested in cultural heritage, food traditions, and sustainable resources.

About the speakers

Dr. Shalen Prado is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) postdoctoral fellow at the University of Stavanger. She leads the SEARCH project (Seaweeds in Archaeology to Promote Sustainable Consumption) and researches archaeological methods to trace past seaweed use in the North Atlantic Region, ancient foodways, and the use of archaeological science in museums.

Dr. Dawn Elise Mooney is an Associate Professor at the University of Stavanger. She leads the MARGAIN project (Marine Resource Gathering and Infrastructure in the Norse North Atlantic) which uses environmental archaeology to explore life along the North Atlantic coasts in the past, and asks how we can use this knowledge to inform present and future sustainable relationships with the ocean.